lovers - obx

• EIGHT •

It had been a few weeks since Sarah had started living with the Pogue's. When Kie came back she wasn't very fond of the idea, but she eventually came around and accepted Sarah as one of their own.

Today, they had all decided to go out on the HMS Pogue and just hang out. They all needed a day of rest and relaxation with nothing crazy.

"I love you," JJ whispered into Katie's ear as she sipped her beer.

She smiled as she removed the bottle from her lips. JJ pressed a small kiss to her temple before taking a sip of his own beer.

Katie looked over at Kie and Pope who were standing on the bow of the boat as he taught her how to fish. She smiled at the two, seeing their chemistry that they were too stubborn to admit. She glanced over at John B and Sarah who were talking about something, who knows what, but they were both smiling.

Life felt perfect. Everything was calm and right in the world. The world of the Pogue's was finally filled with happiness.

But, as always, it was short lived. Katie and JJ turned their heads in unison when they heard the sound of another boat. They both furrowed their brows, quickly standing to see who it was.

They hoped it was someone they didn't know, or, if it was someone they knew, they hoped that they would just pass by. But, as the boat got closer, Katie realized it was a boat she recognized all too well.

"Topper?" Sarah said, standing from her spot next to Pope, "What the hell are you doing here?"

There was another person behind Topper, but Katie couldn't tell who it was. Not until he turned around and she could see his face. Her heart dropped as she let go of her beer bottle, clutching both hands over her mouth that stood agape. Her beer bottle shattered on the floor of the boat, catching the attention of Pope and Kie who were too caught up in their fishing to realize what was happening.

"What the hell?" Kie said when she realized who was on the boat with Topper.

"Miss me?" Rafe said, holding out his hands.

Sarah looked over at Katie. She stood completely still, one hand one her stomach, the other clutched within JJ's. JJ looked like he might kill someone—that someone being Rafe.

"Dad kicks you out so you go slumming it with the Pogue's," Rafe said loudly, "I swear, Sarah, you're gonna get killed with them."

A tear dropped onto Sarah's cheek. She wiped it before anyone could see it. Katie felt faint, but she knew she couldn't. If she did, she would look weak. Rafe would win.

"I miss you, babe," Topper shouted, looking at Sarah, "Come home."

Sarah felt numb. How could her brother be out? And how could her ex-boyfriend support his terrible behavior?

She leaned back into John B, stabilizing herself as he caught her.

"Just leave!" Kie shouted.

"Oh, Kiera Carrera," Rafe said, setting his gaze upon the girl, "Just got back from an extravagant trip to Florida. It looked nice. I saw your Instagram post. With how nice that trip was I figured you'd wanna leave the old Pogue life behind and join us in Figure Eight—where you belong."

Kie scoffed and crossed her arms, "I am a Pogue. This is my life. I will never be a Kook. Ever."

Rafe and Topper both chuckled. They shared a look before Topper drove the boat a little closer to the HMS Pogue.

John B was currently holding Sarah in his lap as she sobs racked her body. Topper glanced over at Sarah, and for a moment Kie saw a slight guilt in his eyes—some human in him.

"You belong in the other side of this island, Kie-"

"You don't get to call her that!" Pope yelled, stepping in front of Kie.

Rafe raised his brows at the action. Pope shrunk back slightly, embarrassed by his own actions.

"Got Heyward protecting you now, huh?" Rafe asked.

Kie sighed. Everyone just wanted them to leave. They just wanted them to be gone. Forever.

"Fine, fine," Rafe said, "We will go. But this is not the last you will see of us."

Rafe turned to Topper as he began driving away. They shared a fist bump and laughed at their tormenting of the Pogue's.

Silence encompassed the group. They didn't know what to do, how to feel, what to think, or what to say.

JJ had sat Katie down long ago, holding her tightly in his arms. John B continued to hold Sarah and calm her down which didn't seem to be working.

"Let's go," Kie whispered to John B.

John B stepped down from the bow of the boat and moved to the driver seat. He turned the boat on and drove off into the marsh to take the group back to the chateau.

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"Okay," JJ sighed as he walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, "Katie is asleep, what about Sarah?"

He looked to Pope.

"Yeah, she's asleep," John B said.

JJ took a seat next to Kie on the couch, running his hand through his hair.

"How did he even get out?" Pope asked, the question they all wanted the answer to.

"Ward probably paid off the prison to let him out," Kie said.

They all began silently racking their brains for an answer to how Rafe wasn't locked up right now. They had watched the whole thing. The jury proved him guilty. They verbally told everyone in that court room he was guilty.

"This isn't fair to them," John B said, "They've been through hell and back and now they just have to deal with it? With no justice?"

JJ shook his head, "The dude literally beat Katie until she was black and blue, bleeding, and could barely walk. I mean, you guys remember what she looked like when she showed up here that night. She looked dead, and she almost did die."

"JJ, are you-" Pope began to ask the question, but JJ gave him a look, telling him to shut up.

"We need to figure out what we're gonna do," John B said.

"Yeah," Kie said.

They say silence for a moment before bidding each other goodnight and going off into their separate rooms.

JJ quietly shut the door behind him, looking down at Katie. The moonlight lit up her face, highlighting her features. The features that JJ loved so much.

He climbed into bed, being extra careful so he didn't wake her, and once he had settled in, he wrapped his arms around Katie and she practically melted into his touch.

He placed a small kiss on her temple before he shut his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

💌 -------------------- 💌

A/N: i hate rafe and ward (despite me writing this)...i cannot with them tho. honestly. i'm thinking about doing something really dramatic...maybe they take katie and sarah. who knows.

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word count: 1,178 (includes author's note)